Unusual Circumstances

Chapter 9

"Please tell me it's true!" Isla squealed as I walked into the canteen with her for lunch.

The canteen was pretty big, with two areas for hot food and one for cold, the entire floor space dominated by plastic tables and stools. It wasn't fancy, but it was warm, dry, and had food. Food is always welcome.

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "What did you expect me to do? With zee eyes judging and zee mouth smirking?" I finished in a French accent.

She only laughed.

"Alex, I love you, really I do," she said as we made our way over to the table.

Isabelle raised her eyebrows as we sat down. "Is there something I should know? Because if I have one more couple slobber sharing in my personal space I'm gonna find some new friends."

Imogen looked neither put out or mad. "What? We don't always kiss, we just..."

"- like to taste each other's food, we get it." I cut her off, not wanting to hear something like 'we just love each other." Ugh.

I pulled my lunch out of my bag and started to chew on the juicy fruit my mum always put in for me.

Kilani looked at my fruit, clearly judging my precious babies.

"Why would you eat that, Alex? It doesn't taste that good, does it?"

Oh, hell no!

I growled, standing to try and look taller.

"You dare insult the fruit?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

He shrugged, "Sure, no one really likes fruit, anyway."

I gasped, "People don't like fruit?"

I sat down, feeling defeat press on my tiny shoulders. That's what you get for loving what's good for you. People won't understand that you like the safe and sweet.

He grinned, looking just the kind of evil genius he would have to be for Imogen to like him.

"The people hate the fruit." He leaned back and put his arm around his girlfriend, who seemed to find our debate amusing.

Traitor.

I wanted to cry, but felt a surge of hope and rebellion of loving the unloved.

I stood and punched the air above my head. "To hell with the people!" I yelled.

Oops.

As the heads turned to see what was going on, my friends burst out laughing. Oh, oh, oh damn.

I lowered my fist, waiting for them to turn around.

But, of course, they didn't.

"Wanna be cute, eat the fruit." I mumbled, only the be applauded by someone behind me.

I turned to see Ollie, who was grinning at my declaration.

He walked over and said, "That's all, folks," to the rest of the canteen, then grabbed my waist and sat down in the stool next to me.

Isabelle grinned, and twirled a strand of short brown hair between her (very carefully done) nail polished fingers.

"So, Oliver, are you planning on staying at our table?" Damn, that girl could flirt.

Wait...

Ollie grinned, and turned towards me, "I think so, it seems really interesting."

Yay!!! Score one for the little squirt!

Isla seemed to approve of his response and winked at me, before turing to Isla.

Oh! That's why...

You see, whenever someone in our group had a crush on some boy, one of us would moderately flirt with him for a few seconds, just to see if he seemed genuine. We did this for Imogen when she and Kilani started dating, and it has been proven fool-proof.

"So Alex, why the fruit fetish?" Ollie asked, and leaned in.

Fruit fetish?

Seriously!?

He was so lucky that the bell went, so he could walk away while chuckling a bit at my babyish rage.

Not as lucky as him, I turned to leave, only to hit my head on a wall.

"Ouch! Who on their right mind out a wall between a directionally impaired midget?" I groaned, glaring at the wall.

Oh. Not a wall.

"Hello, Alex." He grinned, looking me over.

"Before you say anything," I said, and pushed his sunglasses onto my head where they'd be stable, "I look so much better in these glasses then you did."

Then I ran.